The Early Show

"Gossip Girl" Cast Gets Dose In Real Life

The hit TV show "Gossip Girl," which is narrated by a character called "The Gossip Girl," centers around wealthy and sometimes wild New York teens.

Unfortunately, the cast has to deal with a healthy dose of real life gossip off the set, too.

Early Show co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez stopped by the set of "Gossip Girl" to chat with the cast while they film their new season in Queens, New York.

Rodriguez talked with Blake Lively ("Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants"), who plays Serena van der Woodsen on the show.

"We had a wonderful response the first season that we're really excited to bring a second one back. I think we've got a lot of really exciting, great story lines and new characters," Lively said.

Although the show is going strong, there is a price to pay when you're part of a hit TV show.

The cast has become paparazzi magnets.

"When they try to dive into your personal life and make rumors about everyone on the set feuding and hating each other and try to chase you around with a camera to walk your dog. That part is upsetting," Lively admitted.

Ironically, the "Gossip Girl" cast is surrounded by gossip on all platforms, from the blogosphere to the tabloids.

Lively dismissed the rumors of onset drama and said that the cast is all friends.

"We're all around the same age so getting to be thrown into the city, thrown into this experience, which is so wild and the fact that we have to go through that together and that we have the support system that we have and that we actually enjoy each other's companies," Lively said.

To further prove the camaraderie on set, Lively pointed out that even after a 16-hour work day, the cast still spends time together offset going to dinner or shopping.

Ed Westwick, who plays Chuck Bass, compared the casts' relationships as being almost like a marriage with an even greater bond blossoming on set.

"At first you're kind of dating someone, you're worried about impressions that you may cause and you may be worried what you say from time to time. You are trying to keep up appearances, but now it's going into that comfortable husband and wife kind of thing where everyone is comfortable with each other," Westwick said.

Besides bonding on and off set, there are also lessons learned when it comes to the more wild scenes in the show involving teen sex and underage drinking.

Matthew Settle, who plays Rufus Humphrey, the father of Jenny Humphrey (played by Taylor Momsen) can attest to that.

"I guess being her dad is a real education for me in real life because I get this whole group of people back in Los Angeles that teach me what to say when you're a father. So I'm just kind of memorizing it for when I have a kid," said Settle, whose first baby is due March 10.

Some critics might say that the characters get too wild.

According to Momsen, she doesn't worry about the message that is sent to kids her age.

"I think, anything 'bad' on the show ends up resolving. Everything has consequences. Everything that Jenny does, she steals a dress, she gets grounded. She gets in a lot of trouble for it. So everything that happens, ends up resolving itself and I feel like in a realistic way" said Momsen.

"It shows a realistic take on life and it shows the consequences of actions and choices. It's a show about kids finding their identities," Settle added.

In true Manhattan fashion, the Upper Eastsider's identity goes hand in hand with their clothes.

"We love our clothes. The designer is just a genius and what we wear is part of us, part of our characters and every time I put on what I wear, I feel like suddenly I'm Blair (Waldorf). It's changed my view on fashion a lot. I think the viewers kind of have responded to that, as well as the actual story itself," said Leighton Meester.

"It's great," said "Gossip Girl" costume designer Eric Daman. "I get to do what I'm doing and have such an influence. I think it's all come together really well."

Daman has seen his style worn by young girls all over Manhattan.

"Especially the last six months it seems like the trickle down has definitely happened," he said.

"At the end of the day as glamorous as it is, it's just a job," Lively said.

Lively maintains a balance with her own identity and that of her character. For her 21st birthday, she went home and watched the Food Network and ordered in Chinese food, which is not how Serena would celebrate it.

"You can't get lost in a character and something that is a celebrity. I just think that's a load of nonsense anyway," Lively admitted.

"It's a dream," Meester said. "And it's just fun and it's a blessing."